What’s Good about Goodness?
Posted by docapc at 4:36 pm
TweetThe irony is that individuals who may think they are
interested only in their own happiness still need to contribute to a healthy
goodness society. When we engage others in an attitude of goodness, we
produce what we are biologically and spiritually programmed to do. Fascinating
research by psychologist Philippe Ruston of the University of Western Ontario
on the genetic basis for altruism has revealed that humans possess a “goodness
gene”. Dr. Ruston based his opinion on decades of analyzing data he collected
through the University Of London Institute Of Psychiatric Adult Twin Register,
the source for many studies about twins and genetics. Another poignant finding
from the Great Good Science Center, University of California, Berkeley is in
regard to the production of the hormone oxytocin, the hormone of compassion
elicited when we bond through the relational qualities that goodness embodies.
Oxytocin is a near magical neurotransmitter responsible for the following:
- Reduces anxiety and release of stress hormone
(cortisol) - Helps you live longer
- Aids in faster recovery from illness, improves wound
healing - Promotes a sense of calm and well-being, increases
generosity and empathy - Protects against heart disease, modulates
inflammation - Reduces cravings for addictive substances
- Creates bonding and an increase in trust of others
- Decreases fear and creates a feeling of security
Producing more oxytocin is just one of many benefits
conferred on those who practice goodness. Knowing how to express goodness makes
us more energetic and more resilient. We have more skills to manage daily
living. We are not limited in our pursuits of knowledge, and we are not
limited in the array of people we can befriend. Real wisdom consists not in
pursuing happiness directly, but rather in building a good life upon a
foundation of goodness. Happiness comes as a byproduct of that
process. If there is a shortcut to happiness, goodness is it.
Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D.,Ph.D.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Goodness-Renaissance-Project/104778329611615
